Most elected officials, as well as those aspiring to be elected, have little comprehension of the differences between the products and transportation fuels that run the economy and the electricity needed by infrastructure. Thus, all candidates running for public office throughout the country (both parties)—for Mayor, Governor, President, etc.—should be given the opportunity to share their Energy Wisdom in public debates.
The global population has surged from 1 billion to over 8 billion in less than 200 years not from fossil fuels themselves, but from the products and transportation fuels made from fossil fuels. This growth has been directly attributable to the dramatic increase in the number of products and transportation fuels derived from fossil fuels, many of which are essential to health, safety, transportation mobility, agriculture, and national defense.
Since wind turbines and solar panels only generate electricity, readers may find the brief educational video “Can You Go a Day Without Fossil Fuels?” helpful, as it shows some of the products that wind turbines and solar panels cannot make for our materialistic society. This video is under two minutes in length.
Since all the components required to generate electricity—by coal, natural gas, hydro, nuclear, wind, and solar—are made from fossil fuels, George Carlin shares, in a quick one-minute video, the results of ridding the world of fossil fuels, as doing so would eliminate all electricity.
Before we rid the planet of fossil fuel usage, the public deserves to know the zero-emission ideologists’ plan for what the replacement will be for that black tar commonly referred to as crude oil—so as to maintain the supply chain of products and transportation fuels demanded by the 8 billion people on this planet that form the foundation of the world’s economy.
Which brings us back to the essence of Energy Wisdom: decisions by public officials about energy are, at their core, decisions about society itself—about what kind of economy we wish to sustain, what kind of communities we wish to build, and what trade-offs we are prepared to accept. These are not technical questions alone; they are cultural, economic, geopolitical, and ethical questions that demand serious public conversation, especially from those seeking public office.
For candidates who hope to lead—whether as Mayor, Governor, or President—Energy Wisdom requires comprehensive awareness: that modern civilization is not powered by electricity alone; that materials matter; that transportation fuels for planes, ships, the military, construction equipment, and space travel are indispensable; that oil underpins global logistics and manufacturing; that ethical mining must be part of any responsible strategy; that nuclear-generated electricity is returning to the global stage; and that Earth’s mineral and metal resources, while vast, are ultimately finite. America’s prosperity has always been tied to its ability to understand industrial realities, not simply political aspirations.
The following open-ended questions are intended not to trap or embarrass political figures, but to invite deeper discussion about their Energy Wisdom. If an aspiring leader can articulate thoughtful responses to these six questions, voters will have a clearer sense of whether that person possesses the level of Energy Wisdom needed for leadership.
These Open-Ended Questions Are for Candidates to Share the Extent of Their Energy Wisdom:
- More than 6,000 products and transportation fuels rely on petrochemicals every day, many of which are essential to health, safety, mobility, agriculture, and national defense.
Question: Understanding that wind and solar only generate electricity but cannot make the products or transportation fuels demanded by people around the world, what role do you believe petroleum-based products play in sustaining a modern industrial economy and civilization? - To support a life expectancy now exceeding 75 years, compared to roughly 40 years in the 1800s, almost all modern pharmaceuticals rely on petrochemicals from crude oil for their creation, as well as for essential components such as drug delivery systems, plastics (syringes, IV bags), packaging, and transport—making oil foundational to nearly every medicine’s journey from lab to patient. These petroleum-derived chemicals are crucial for creating active ingredients and purifying naturally sourced drugs, enabling large-scale, cost-effective production.
Question: Voters deserve to know what your plan is to replace crude oil while maintaining the supply chain of products required to support the medical industry. - Continuous, dependable electricity remains essential for industrial societies and economies. Voters deserve to know how a candidate plans to secure reliable electricity under all conditions.
Question: How do you view the limitations of relying solely on wind turbines and solar panels—which can generate electricity only under favorable weather conditions—as the foundation of an electricity policy? - New nuclear reactor technologies are emerging worldwide to generate continuous, uninterruptible, and emission-free electricity to support growing demand.
Question: How do you see nuclear power contributing to America’s long-term electricity needs, and will America lead—or follow? - Currently, international supply chains for the minerals and metals required to build wind turbines, solar panels, and EV batteries rely heavily on poorer developing nations with minimal labor protections and environmental regulations.
Question: What are your views on the ethical and moral dimensions of global mining for critical minerals and metals, particularly regarding the exploitation of child labor and environmental degradation in poorer developing countries—often involving populations with yellow, brown, and black skin—that currently supply these materials to support the green movement in wealthier countries? - Earth’s finite natural resources—crude oil, coal, lithium, cobalt, and others—are not endless and may require a wiser approach to energy planning and consumption.
Question: What principles should guide national policy over the next half-century to maintain the supply chain of products, transportation fuels, and sufficient electricity to meet the ever-growing material demands of the planet’s 8 billion people?
America—and the world’s 8 billion people—needs leaders who can think beyond slogans, beyond narrow categories of electricity, and beyond short-term political cycles. Energy Wisdom is not about favoring one energy source over another. It is about recognizing the full industrial reality that sustains modern life and approaching energy decisions—with respect to products, transportation fuels, and electricity demanded by today’s infrastructure—with humility, responsibility, and practical understanding. That is the kind of Energy Wisdom leadership the twenty-first century requires.
This piece originally appeared at AmericaOutLoud.news and has been republished here with permission.
